Open your hospice garden

Opening your garden can be a daunting process. National Garden Scheme will put you in touch with your local county organiser, who will guide you. 

You will also be invited to a local welcome event where you can meet other garden owners and get peer support. 

You’ll be provided with National Garden Scheme marketing materials to help you promote your open garden. Your garden will feature in the Garden Visitor’s Handbook, which is sold in major bookstores and distributed to 33,000 people. 

National Garden Scheme will feature your open garden on its digital channels. Hospice UK also promotes hospice open gardens across our channels. 

Although the money raised from ticket sales goes directly to NGS, any other funds you raise on the day are for your hospice. We’ve put together some ideas to help you maximise your income from the event. 

Opening your garden to the public gives you the opportunity to showcase your hospice and dispel some of the myths about hospice care. 

Holding an enjoyable event for the whole community can help your staff and volunteers feel appreciated and boost morale. 

Aside from ticket sales, any money you raise from your open garden is for your hospice. So make the most of the opportunity! You could: 

• sell refreshments (home made cake is always very popular!) 
• sell produce or cuttings from your garden 
• sell hospice merchandise 
• hold a raffle 
• set up a book stall 
• have activities for children such as face painting or a photo booth. 

You could even hire out space to local entrepreneurs, for example food vans or craft stalls. 

Promote your open garden event far and wide to make sure everyone knows about it! 

You will get support from National Garden Scheme but think about advertising locally, both on- and offline. Contact local newspapers and radio, highlight the event on social media and put posters up in your community.  

Volunteers are a great source of promotion so get them on board. Invite them along and ask them to help out with specific, meaningful roles. Create a rota so they can sign up for shifts – this means they will also have time to enjoy themselves!  

Don’t forget to promote the event in all your retail outlets and community hubs. Invite all your services users, their families and friends. 

Opening your garden is a brilliant way to celebrate the amazing work of your hospice. 

Invite your partners and media contacts – those you have been working with for a while and anyone you want to build a relationship with. This might be a potential corporate sponsor, a major donor or a potential new trustee. Make sure there will be someone to meet them and chat to them. 

Amidst all the festivities, make sure you provide some unobtrusive information about the services you provide.  

Try to keep a space for quiet reflection, for anyone who needs it. Make sure there is a way for people to get in touch if they have any questions or need support.